jg.atimetokill-第53部分

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ey　were　scarce　in　Ford　County。
　It　was　imperative　the　case　be　tried　in　another　county；　a　blacker　county。　One　black　could　hang　the　jury。　A　majority　could　force；　maybe；　an　acquittal。　Two　weeks　in　a　motel　and　strange　courthouse　was　not　appealing；　but　the　small　disforts　were　greatly　outweighed　by　the　need　to　have　black　faces　in　the　jury　box。
　The　venue　question　had　been　thoroughly　researched　by　Lucien。　As　instructed；　Jake　arrived　promptly；　although　reluctantly；　at　8：00　A。M。　Sallie　served　breakfast　on　the　porch。　Jake　drank　coffee　and　orange　juice；　Lucien；　bourbon　and　water。　For　three　hours　they　covered　every　aspect　of　a　change　of　venue。　Lucien　had　copies　of　every　Supreme　Court　case　for　the　past　eighty　years；　and　lectured　like　a　professor。　The　pupil　took　notes；　argued　once　or　twice；　but　mainly　listened。
　Whitfield　was　located　a　few　miles　from　Jackson　in　a　rural　part　of　Rankin　County。　Two　guards　waited　by　the　front　gate　and　argued　with　reporters。　Carl　Lee　was　scheduled　to　arrive　at　nine；　that　was　all　the　guards　knew。　At　eight…thirty　two　patrol　cars　with　Ford　County　insignia　rolled　to　a　stop　at　the　gate。　The　reporters　and　their　cameramen　ran　to　the　driver　of　the　first　car。　Ozzie's　window　was　down。
　〃Where's　Carl　Lee　Hailey？〃　a　reporter　shouted　in　a　panic。
　〃He's　in　the　other　car；〃　Ozzie　drawled；　winking　at　Carl　Lee　in　the　back　seat。
　〃He's　in　the　second　car！〃　someone　shouted；　and　they　ran　to　Hastings'　car。
　〃Where's　Hailey？〃　they　demanded。
　Pirtle；　in　the　front　seat；　pointed　to　Hastings；　the　driver。　〃That's　him。〃
　〃Are　you　Carl　Lee　Hailey？〃　a　reporter　screamed　at　Hastings。
　〃Yep。〃
　〃Why　are　you　driving？〃
　〃What's　with　the　uniform？〃
　〃They　made　me　a　deputy；〃　answered　Hastings　with　a　straight　face。　The　gate　opened；　and　the　two　cars　sped　through。
　Carl　Lee　was　processed　in　the　main　building　and　led；　along　with　Ozzie　and　the　deputies；　to　another　building　where　he　was　checked　into　his　cell；　or　room；　as　it　was　called。　The　door　was　locked　behind　him。　Ozzie　and　his　men　were　excused　and　returned　to　Clanton。
　After　lunch；　an　assistant　of　some　sort　with　a　clipboard　and　white　jacket　arrived　and　began　asking　questions。　Starting　with　birth；　he　asked　Carl　Lee　about　every　significant　event　and　person　in　his　life。　It　lasted　two　hours。　At　4：00　P。M。；　two　security　guards　handcuffed　Carl　Lee　and　rode　him　in　a　golf　cart　to　a　modern　brick　building　a　half　mile　from　his　room。　He　was　led　to　the　office　of　Dr。　Wilbert　Rodeheaver；　head　of　staff。　The　guards　waited　in　the　hall　by　the　door。
　It　had　been　five　weeks　since　the　shootings　of　Billy　Ray　Cobb　and　Pete　Willard。　The　trial　was　four　weeks　away。　The　three　motels　in　Clanton　were　booked　solid　for　the　week　of　the　trial　and；　the　week　before。　The　Best　Western　was　the　largest　and　nicest；　and　had　attracted　the　Memphis　and　Jackson　press。　The　Clanton　Court　had　the　best　bar　and　restaurant；　and　was　booked　by　reporters　from　Atlanta；　Washington；　and　New　York。　At　the　less　than　elegant　East　Side　Motel　the　rates　had　curiously　doubled　for　the　month　of　July　but　it　had　nonetheless　sold　out。
　The　town　had　been　friendly　at　first　to　these　outsiders；　most　of　whom　were　rude　and　spoke　with　different　accents。　But　some　of　the　descriptions　of　Clanton　and　its　people　had　been　less　than　flattering；　and　most　of　the　locals　now　honored　a　secret　code　of　silence。　A　noisy　cafe　would　bee　instantly　silent　when　a　stranger　walked　in　and　took　a　seat。　Merchants　around　the　square　offered　little　assistance　to　anyone　they　did　not　recognize。　The　employees　in　the　courthouse　had　bee　deaf　to　questions　asked　a　thousand　times　by　nosy　intruders。　Even　the　Memphis　and　Jackson　reporters　had　to　struggle　to　extract　anything　new　from　the　locals。　The　people　were　tired　of　being　described　as　backward；　redneck；　and　racist。　They　ignored　the　outsiders　whom　they　could　not　trust　and　went　about　their　business。
　The　bar　at　the　Clanton　Court　became　the　watering　hole　for　the　reporters。　It　was　the　one　place　in　town　they　could　go　to　find　a　friendly　face　and　good　conversation。　They　sat　in　the　booths　under　the　big…screen　TV　and　gossiped　about　the　small　town　and　the　uping　trial。　They　pared　notes　and　stories　and　leads　and　rumors；　and　drank　until　they　were　drunk　because　there　was　nothing　else　to　do　in　Clanton　after　dark。
　The　motels　filled　Sunday　night；　June　23；　the　night　before　the　venue　hearing。　Early　Monday　morning　they　gathered　in　the　restaurant　at　the　Best　Western　to　drink　coffee　and　speculate。　The　hearing　was　the　first　major　skirmish；　and
　could　likely　be　the　only　courtroom　action　until　the　trial。　A　rumor　surfaced　that　Noose　was　ill　and　did　not　want　to　hear　the　case；　and　that　he　would　ask　the　Supreme　Court　to　appoint　another　judge。　Just　a　rumor；　with　no　source　and　nothing　more　definite；　said　a　reporter　from　Jackson。　At　eight　they　packed　their　cameras　and　microphones　and　left　for　the　square。　One　group　set　up　outside　the　jail；　another　at　the　rear　of　the　courthouse；　but　most　headed　for　the　courtroom。　By　eight…thirty　it　was　filled。
　From　the　balcony　of　his　office；　Jake　watched　the　activity　around　the　courthouse。　His　heart　beat　faster　than　normal；　and　his　stomach　tingled。　He　smiled。　He　was　ready　for　Buck…ley；　ready　for　the　cameras。
　Noose　looked　down　past　the　end　of　his　nose；　over　his　reading　glasses；　and　around　the　packed　courtroom。　Everyone　was　in　place。
　〃The　court　has　before　it；〃　he　began；　〃the　defendant's　motion　for　a　change　of　venue。　The　trial　in　this　matter　has　been　set　for　Monday；　July　22。　That's　four　weeks　from　today；　according　to　my　calendar^　I　have　set　a　deadline　for　filing　motions　and　disposing　of　same；　and　I　believe　those　are　the　only　two　deadlines　between　now　and　trial。〃
　〃That's　correct；　Your　Honor；〃　thundered　Buckley；　half　standing　behind　his　table。　Jake　rolled　his　eyes　and　shook　his　head。
　〃Thank　you；　Mr。　Buckley；〃　Noose　said　dryly。　〃The　defendant　has　filed　the　proper　notice　that　he　intends　to　use　an　insanity　defense。　Has　he　been　examined　at　Whitfield？〃
　〃Yes　sir；　Your　Honor；　last　week；〃　Jake　answered。
　〃Will　he　employ　his　own　psychiatrist？〃
　〃Of　course；　Your　Honor。〃
　〃Has　he　been　examined　by　his　own？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃Good。　So　that's　out　of　the　way。　What　other　motions　do　you　anticipate　filing？〃
　〃Your　Honor；　we　expect　to　file　a　motion　requesting　the　clerk　to　summons　more　than　the　usual　number　of　prospective　jurors…〃
　〃The　state　will　oppose　that　motion；〃　Buckley　yelled　as　he　jumped　to　his　feet。
　〃Sit　down；　Mr。　Buckley！〃　Noose　said　sternly；　ripping　off　his　glasses　and　glaring　at　the　D。A。　〃Please　don't　yell　at　me　again。　Of　course　you　will　oppose　it。　You　will　oppose　any　motion　filed　by　the　defense。　That's　your　job。　Don't　interrupt　again。　You'll　have　ample　opportunity　after　we　adjourn　to　perform　for　the　media。〃
　Buckley　slumped　in　his　chair　and　hid　his　red　face。　Noose　had　never　screamed　at　him　before。
　〃Continue；　Mr。　Brigance。〃
　Jake　was　startled　by　Ichabod's　meanness。　He　looked　tired　and　ill。　Perhaps　it　was　the　pressure。
　〃We　may　have　some　written　objections　to　anticipated　evidence。〃
　〃Motions　in　limineT'
　〃Yes；　sir。〃
　〃We'll　hear　those　at　trial。　Anything　else？〃
　〃Not　at　this　time。〃
　〃Now；　Mr。　Buckley；　will　the　State　file　any　motions？〃
　〃I　can't　think　of　any；〃　Buckley　answered　meekly。
　〃Good。　I　want　to　make　sure　there　are　no　surprises　between　now　and　trial。　I　will　be　here　one　week　before　trial　to　hear　and　decide　any　pretrial　matters。　I　expect　any　motions　to　be　filed　promptly；　so　that　we　can　tie　up　any　loose　ends　well　before　the　twenty…second。〃
　Noose　flipped　through　his　file　and　studied　Jake's　motion　for　a　change　of　venue。　Jake　whispered　to　Carl　Lee；　whose　presence　was　not　required　for　the　hearing；　but　he　insisted。　Gwen　and　the　three　boys　sat　in　the　first　row　behind　their　daddy。　Tonya　was　not　in　the　courtroom。
　〃Mr。　Brigance；　your　motion　appears　to　be　in　order。　How　many　witnesses？〃
　〃Three；　Your　Honor。〃
　〃Mr。　Buckley；　how　many　will　you　call？〃
　〃We　have　twenty…one；〃　Buckley　said　proudly。
　〃Twenty…one！〃　yelled　the　judge。
　Buckley　cowered　and　glanced　at　Musgrove。　〃B…but；　we　probably　won't　need　them　all。　In　fact；　I　know　we　won't　call　all　of　them。〃
　〃Pick　your　best　five；　Mr。　Buckley。　I　don't　plan　to　be　here　all　day。〃
　〃Yes；　Your　Honor。〃
　〃Mr。　Brigance；　you've　asked　for　a　change　of